The Art Of Software Development (part 4): Delivering Quality - Endgame (
Page 7 of 7 )
Once the software has been formally accepted, all that's left is to
release it to the customer, together with the required documentation.
This release may be delivered either on a CD-ROM or via the Internet,
depending on the nature of the software. In case you're also supposed to
turn over the software source code to the customer, make sure that it's
included in your release.
Every release should be prominently tagged with a version number, and
should include a release note which provides information on the release.
This release note should include the version number of the software
being released, the release date, and a brief description of the changes
in the release (if any). This release note provides both customer and
vendor with an easy-to-understand trace of the software release history.
In case the software requires installation, it should be packaged
appropriately with an installer; if it's a Web site or Web application,
installation typically involves merely placing the files in a specific
location on the Web server. Either way, specific installation
instructions should be included with your deliverable, either as part of
the manual or as an additional appendix on the delivery media.
At this point, you've successfully designed, implemented, tested and
delivered a software application to the specified requirements of your
customer. All that's left now is to wait for the rest of the cash to
roll in, and get ready for what many consider to be the most
commercially profitable phase of the software lifecycle: software
updates. I'll be discussing that in the next (and final) article in this
series...but until then, lie back and take a well-deserved break. You've
earned it!
Note: Examples are illustrative only, and are not meant for a production
environment. Melonfire provides no warranties or support for the source
code described in this article. YMMV!
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